The Royal Enfield is making a comeback. The no-frills motorcycle was first made in England in 1901 and was very popular by the 1950s. But then sales fell, and British production stopped in the 1970s. Sales were also falling in India — at the time, the only place where the Enfield was made. In 2006, only 31,000 of the motorbikes were sold.
But parent company Eicher Motors Limited has reported a dramatic recovery in India. In 2019, the company sold 800,000 of them. Now, it wants to start selling them globally again. Eicher Motors’ boss, Siddhartha Lal, says the motorcycle’s classic look and simplicity have “everything you need and nothing you don’t”.
It is also inexpensive, which is another reason why the Enfield is becoming more and more popular both with the Indian public and with classic motorcycle lovers around the world.